Tracey A. Edwards

Edwards said that as a daughter of a former police officer, crime prevention and safe neighborhoods are a priority. There needs to be more youth-oriented programs, she said, and the opioid addiction crisis needs to be addressed. She said the affordability of housing for veterans, millennials, young families and seniors also is a priority. �I want to make our communities and downtowns safer by tackling the gang issue and the opioid-heroin epidemic; maintain our strong fiscal record while holding the line on taxes; expand programs for youth, women and seniors; work on addressing the deficit of affordable housing in our town; and legislate to preserve our environment with particular emphasis on water-quality initiatives,� Edwards said. �I�m the only candidate that has proposed a public safety plan to address the concerns of our residents while promoting cooperation with the Suffolk Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, as well as [improved] cooperation with our school districts to expand opportunities for youth and local businesses to ensure economic growth.�

Edwards, 56, of Dix Hills, is running on the Democratic, Green, Independence, Working Families and Women�s Equality party lines. Elected to the town board in 2013, she is seeking a first term as supervisor. Edwards is a retired Verizon executive. She is the Long Island region president for the NAACP, a former Elwood school board member and former chairwoman of the town�s planning board. A Huntington native, she graduated from John H. Glenn High School. She is married and has three children.